No Regrets
by WhateverWhoeverWherever-SWT
Summary: They say Death was horrible and ugly but really, he was pretty. Ugh, was he going delusional for thinking that! SI!OC
1. Chapter 1

_Brother?_

 **Yeah?**

 _Where's mom and dad?_

 **... they're up in the heavens. With God.**

 _Why are they there? When will they come back? I miss them..._

 **They... They won't be coming back.**

 _Why?_

 **... I... I'll tell you when we're older.**

 _... if brother says so._

...

 _Brother!_

 **Jeez, don't give me that look. You know I don't like it.**

 _AND I don't like seeing you get beat up like that! Don't get into fights._

 **How am I supposed to stand there idly when I can help someone? They were taking advantage of an innocent freshman.**

 _Still! If that continues to happen, they'll pull you out of school, rendering the scholarship we worked so hard to get... useless!_

 **... I'm sorry...**

 _Brother, please, if they find out about this—_

 **Ugh, I know, I know. You don't have to remind me.**

 _Brother... Brother, you know I love you, right?_

 **What's with that question? Of course, I do.**

 _Nothing, nothing, just wanted to make sure._

...

 **Hey... Hey, this isn't funny.**

()

 **Get up, dammit!**

()

 **You're not supposed to leave me! You're not supposed to go to where mom and dad are!**

()

 **Dammit, wake up! Don't just sleep like that! It's not fair! You told me you'll be there for my graduation! You told me you'll be there standing beside me for my wedding! Dammit, open your eyes! Open them!**

()

 **Hey... Hey... you know I love you, too, right?**

...

The first thing he realized... was the fact that a knife stabbing his heart did not feel painful at all. The second thing he realized... was the maniacal glint in his Uncle Henry's eyes. The third and last thing he realized... was the fact he was dying.

 _Dying..._

He remembered the way the life in his brother's eyes faded like smoke. Were his eyes the same way? He was not sure. Many times, he had read that death felt different for every person. If he could describe his death... it was nothingness.

...

 **"You're not supposed to be on the to-die list."**

 **Honestly? I'm surprised. My uncle has been meaning to kill me for a few months now.**

 **"... you're pretty strange."**

 **Aren't we all?**

 **"Pfft— no, just you."**

 **Really? That's surprising.**

 **"Is it now? You're one of the few humans who can stare at Death's face fearlessly, you know?"**

 **Death? You look too pretty handsome to be Death. You're probably pulling my leg, ain't ya?**

 **"Pfft— you really ARE one of a kind. You're the only human— _being, actually—_ to tell me that."**

 **... meh.**

 **"Say now, since you've entertained me after centuries of boredom, I'll do anything you want... just once, anyways."**

 **Anything I want?**

 **"Anything you want."**

 **Can I rest peacefully now? All these talking's making me tired.**

 **"... you're awfully weird."**

 **Haven't we established that already?**

 **"You're wasting a favor of mine to what I originally intended to do to you."**

 **Well, I'm just speaking the truth.**

 **"Nope. Nada. You are not wasting a favor of mine, you ridiculous human. Like it or not, I'm doing something for you... and that's final."**

...

He blinked childishly.

No, rather, it would be more accurate if it was: _she_ blinked childishly. A toddler with the brightest yellow hair and emerald-green eyes stared back. The toddler's arms and legs were pudgy, cheeks so squishy and painted with natural blush.

It was him.

No, rather, it was her.

She was staring back at a mirror and the toddler was her. Looking back, she saw another toddler with rose-pink hair and similar emerald-green eyes staring back at her. "Tamawa?" A word left the other toddler's lips.

A woman with blonde hair and similar green eyes entered. She could not find the reason why she seemed to brighten up at the sight of that woman. "Takara? Sakura? Are you both ready to head for the park?"

Takara?

Sakura?

Then, that other toddler... that called her _Tamawa..._ was she actually trying to call her Takara instead? Then, that salmon-haired toddler would be Sakura, right?

What... What was going on?

Even though Takara still wanted to delve deeper into her situation, the woman had picked her and Sakura up, interrupting her train of thoughts.

...

 **"I gave you a chance."**

 **I never wanted a chance!**

 **"Why not?"**

 **... my brother never got one, did he?**

 **"And how would you know?"**

 **I... I don't... I don't know.**

...

Takara gently smiled as Sakura hid behind her. "I'm Haruno Takara. It's a pleasure to meet all of you." She gently nudged her sister who was hiding behind her. "I'm... I'm Haruno Sakura..."

Things were... a lot more complicated than she imagined. She woke up in a world where ninja were the norms and handling sharp objects as a kid seemed normal. It boggled her mind... like a lot.

She and her sister Sakura were seven years old when they decided to join the Academy. Takara, mostly, wanted nothing to do with being a ninja but Sakura... that sweet girl who was her twin sister... wanted to be one.

At first, the blonde reasoned with her parents with reasoning skills that obviously did not belong to a child her age. "It's _dangerous._ Being a ninja will only increase the _risk of death_." Kizashi and Mebuki— _her parents—_ had thrown her looks of incredulity.

However, in the end, with just one teary-eyed expression from her sister, Takara relented.

She was a sucker for that kind of look.

They were seated somewhere in the middle and Takara had to resist the urge to arch an eyebrow to that kid who kept staring at her and her sister. They were probably a weird pair, she mused.

Around break time, Sakura found a group of girls she liked to hang out with. Her rose-haired sister tried to persuade her to join them but Takara denied.

She absolutely _hates_ girls.

(Aside from her mother and her sister Sakura, of course.)

When Takara was just about to lie her head down on the desk, she found herself staring back at similar half-lidded eyes that stared at her with the same boredom glistening in them. "You think they're troublesome, too?"

The blonde found it weird that his head resembled a pineapple but she wasn't about to be rude by not answering him. "Girls are such a pain to deal with." The boy gave her a look of disbelief, one she couldn't deny was a bit hilarious.

" _You're_ a **_girl._** "

"... and your point?"

"... good point. I'm Nara Shikamaru."

"You know mine already."

"... wasn't asking for it, was I?"

Takara rolled her eyes. This boy was going to be such a pain in the future. "Just stating a fact." His lips curled at her response and promptly kissed the desk after groaning. "Man, this is just the first day and it sucks already."

She wondered what he was doing here in the first place if he detests this building as much as she detests half-cooked meats. A yawn escaped her lips and was just about to lie her head down when she found her sister standing in front of her.

Takara blinked. It hasn't even been that long since she left with her new-found friends. Sakura smiled at her. That smile that made the manly heart in Takara's chest coo at how cute her sister was.

"I thought you were going to hang out with your friends, Kura."

The blonde inwardly cooed at her sister's embarrassed smile. "I... I want to hang out with Kara more. It's funner." The older blonde sister smiled at the rosette. She was so, so, _so_ adorable!

"It's 'more fun' rather than 'funner', Kura."

"... ugh, sister-complex."

Takara glared. "Shut it, Nara."

Sakura blinked at her sister and her seatmate.

...

 **"It's fun, isn't it?"**

 **Fun? You think me in a little girl's body is _fun?_**

 **"Meh, why not? It's been so boring for centuries collecting unamusing human souls, you know. You're the first in a while."**

 **... what about the others?**

 **"The others? Heh, be glad you're in a... less brutal world. I could have sent you somewhere where the moment you were born; slavery, submission, suffering, and death await you where not even a peaceful moment exist."**

 **... what about my brother?**

 **"What about him?"**

...

Takara yawned as she leaned against the green fence while watching Sakura interact with kids their age in the park. She would rather be at home reading textbooks than be here surrounded by snot-nosed brat.

(Aside from her sister anyways.)

"That's odd." She almost jumped to her feet when a voice suddenly spoke just beside her. "Most girls your age would be mingling with others by now." A young man with unkempt dark hair smiled down at her.

She absent-mindedly noted that he was sparkling. _He was sparkling._ "I hate girls." Her response made him raise an eyebrow but didn't persist any further inquiries. Well, at least that was what she thought just a few seconds ago.

"Why aren't you playing, too?"

"Is it mandatory to make friends?"

He was taken aback by her words, making him scratch the back of his head with a sheepish smile. "Well, no, not really."

"There you have it."

Takara saw him blink down at her, flabbergasted. "... the heck? You're like a mini-Itachi. I don't need another Itachi breathing down my neck just because he's wiser than me."

"Who _ARE_ you anyways?" Because Takara didn't expect a stranger to suddenly talk to her with a beaming smile on his face. A smile that probably charmed half the ladies in the village.

His smile was sweet and boyish and somehow suited him even though he wasn't a young boy anymore. "Me? I'm surprised you don't know me, little lady!" He sheepishly smiled when she kept a straight face.

What was he expecting from her? That she was just going to jump around in excitement and ask him who he was with an eager look on her face? Yeah... that would never happen.

Ever.

"... I'm Uchiha Shisui, by the way."

"... ... Haruno Takara."

And that was the end of their little conversation...

"So, are you an Academy student?"

... and Takara was wrong to assume they've finished talking.

...

 **I hate this.**

 **"Hate what?"**

 **This... _THIS!_ It's not me.**

 **"Then, you just have to make it yours."**

 **... make it mine?**

...

During the night, Takara would have dreams of that pretty-faced Death. Contrary to popular belief, Death has blond hair like hers and the bluest eyes she had ever seen. It was the color of the sky, a solid color she couldn't help but be fond of.

During the night, her mind would swim through endless seas of thoughts, sometimes drowning and sometimes floating about. The night was a dangerous one. She kind of admitted that to herself a couple nights ago.

Because from Before, she liked the silent nights.

"Mm~ Kara, mama says staying up late is bad."

"Did I wake you from all the moving, Kura?"

"... no~ I... I woke up to... to go to the... the bathroom..."

"Then, c'mon, I'll take you there."

But on really rare occasions, Takara would have dreamless nights... thanks to her sister's presence.

...

 **"Haven't you come into terms yet?"**

 **... no.**

 **"This will be your reality now. Do you know that?"**

 **... yes.**

 **"Then, stop moping about, _IDIOT!_ "**

 **OUCH! Hey, why'd you hit me?!**

 **"You're wasting the chance I gave you... and the entertainment I'm yearning!"**

 **Oh, c'mon, are you really Death with that kind of attitude?**

 **"... want to find out again?"**

 **... no thanks, I'm good.**

...

Takara had many mishaps from Before.

But this... this definitely took the cake.

Sakura was sick in bed and their mother didn't want Takara to get sick as well so the blonde twin was forced to go outside until the sun sets. Maybe her mother thought she had friends.

Takara doesn't have any though. She has no use for friends.

While deep in thought, she heard a loud shout from a few ways in front of her. She blinked. How in the world did she wander off into the forest? She shrugged her shoulders and searched for the source of that shout.

When she did, an odd sight greeted her. There were two men out in the clearing, doing what seemed to be only a ninja could do. They were climbing trees... without using their hands. She made the mistake of stepping on a twig.

The man in the spandex turned to look at her and then he... he disappeared. Takara could follow him with her eyes but her body could not react in time. "What's a youthful child doing here? Are you here to train to become a ninja, young one?!"

His voice boomed from behind her

She ran away, horrified.

...

 **"Came into terms yet?"**

 **... yes.**

 **"Finally!"**

 **I'm... I'm going to live... just because I haven't done many things from Before.**

 **"Atta boy!"**

 **I'm not a dog, Death.**

 **"You are to me, though."**

 **Ugh~**

...

Haruno Takara used to go by the name of Ezra Isles...

... and she decided to live a life with no regrets this time around.

...

 **Author's Note**

 _Uhhh..._

 _Thank you for giving this story a chance! Anyways, feel free to leave..._

 _Reviews!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, you lived since the beginning of life, right?**

 **"Yeah? Why do you ask?"**

 **I... aren't you lonely?**

 **"... what?"**

...

Takara arched an eyebrow, wondering why, exactly, she was here. She could clearly remember sitting on her study desk at home, her sister asleep in her bed. She could clearly remember reading her Academy textbook when she heard a poof behind her and a pair of arms grabbing her.

Then, poof.

She was somewhere else.

...

 **It's not funny.**

 **"Pfft— gwahaha! Not to you but for me, it is!"**

 **It ISN'T funny!**

 **"You, a man, will go through a female's puberty. How is that not funny?"**

 **Grrr~ come back here, you pretty-faced Death!**

 **"That's not an insult at all!"**

...

 _Uchiha Shisui_

Takara didn't know what to make of him. But she was certain about one thing...

 _Uchiha Shisui was weird._

They've only talked once (and that was just a day ago) and he found himself confiding to her. Though, he did make it look like he was doing it for a friend but in reality, she could see the truth. He himself was desperately worried about the person in his story.

"Shisui-niisan?" She interrupted his ramblings and he had the decency to look embarrassed for talking nonstop. Takara wasn't sure if he even took breaths inbetween sentences. He wasn't breathless though.

He was tall, well, tall for her since she was a pipsqueak (something she wouldn't admit out loud) and she found it difficult to talk to him when he was all the way up there. He didn't crouch down. "Why did you kidnap me?"

He bursted out laughing, her blank expression never faltering. "That's too strong of a word. Aren't we friends?" She remained silent. His face filled with humor morphed into one of solemnity. "Sorry, Takara-chan. I forgot you're not..." _Itachi_ went unsaid.

He must really miss his cousin if that were the case.

Deciding that enough was enough, Takara grabbed Shisui's hand and began pulling him to a place that sells her favorite. The Uchiha splattered incoherent words in surprise but remained silent as she pulled him.

Takara knew how the bond between men ( _especially brothers, even if Shisui and this Itachi were technically cousins_ ) work. It was deep; deeper than anyone could ever imagine. So, for Shisui to seek out a seven-year-old, out of all the people in his social circle, it spoke volumes.

"... a takoyaki stall?"

Shisui muttered in surprise, something the little blonde apparently ignored as they entered. "Eiji-san!" Said man looked up from the counter, beaming when he saw her. "Ah, Takara-chan, how many orders today?"

She found this stall a year ago and became a regular since. Their takoyakis were positively, _heavenly._ "I'll have ten." Takara knew that the Uchiha threw her an incredulous look but Eiji-san simply nodded. "What about you?" And stared at Shisui.

"Oh, uh, I'll just have one."

( _And when they got their order, Shisui had a front row seat to witness a seven-year-old stuff three to four takoyakis into her mouth in one go._ _Shisui lopsidedly smiled. Takara was adorable. He wouldn't have minded having a little sister like her._ )

...

 **So...**

 **"What?"**

 **About my brother...**

 **Hey, where are you going?!**

...

Sakura leaned on her sister's shoulder as their teacher lectured about the importance of stealth and trickery during a mission. She was bored. Like really bored. "Hey, Kara..." Whispered silently by Sakura under her breath.

Her twin sister grunted. "Kara, I'm bored."

"Then, sleep."

"I'll get in trouble."

"Nara's asleep almost all the time and he doesn't get in trouble."

"Still..."

There was a groan of annoyance coming from Takara's other side. "You two are troublesome."

" _Shut it, Nara._ "

Both Haruno growled in irritation. This was a daily occurrence for the Nara and the twin sisters. Something Shikamaru found oddly comforting _and_ entertaining. Break time came around and the trio, along with Akimichi Choji, went under the many trees in the courtyard.

"Man, can't believe Iruka-sensei threw a chalk on my forehead the moment I woke up." To prove his point, Shikamaru pointed on the red spot on his forehead. It still stung and they weren't really surprised.

Iruka-sensei was harsh like that.

Sakura scoffed behind her hand. "That's because you keep sleeping in class." The Nara sent her a glare before sighing... _in exhaustion_ when he hasn't even done anything productive today at all.

"Troublesome... Oi, Kara, stop stealing my octopus sausages..." But the blonde girl simply ignored him and kept stealing his octopus sausages every so often, annoying the poor Nara, who, after a few more steals, slouched over in defeat.

Takara just wouldn't stop stealing his food.

Choji warily smiled, offering his bento box to Shikamaru, who threw his best friend a surprised look. "Here, you can have some of mine."

"Ah, thanks a lot, Choji."

Takara found tranquility in this mishmash group of friends of hers ( _even though they know no such thing as silence)_ and her rough friendship with Shisui made her happy. They could only talk during his free time and, in addition to that, it was limited to two to three hours.

Still, Takara found the Uchiha hilarious and a fresh air to breathe. From what she had gathered in the past years living as Haruno Takara, Uchiha's usually kept to themselves. They were a prideful clan filled with skilled fighters and bright shinobi.

Thus, she avoided Uchiha's ( _and yes, even Uchiha Sasuke)_.

Later that day, Takara went to their usual spot; a training ground filled with targets. She was a bit disappointed since she was planning on spending the day with Sakura but the rosette decided to attend kunoichi classes today.

Something that she absolutely _abhorred_.

Takara doesn't hate kunoichi classes. The blonde hated the fact that _she_ has to learn it. There was no way she was going to learn how to put on make-up. She had been allergic to any kinds of cosmetics from Before, even foundation and powder.

Takara wasn't going to risk trying it in this world now. Then again, she would have to learn how to wear a kimono and even from Before, she had been interested in the language of flowers but most of all, poisons intrigued her.

She had been a weird brat from Before.

" _Takara-chan~_ " A voice whispered hauntingly in her ear, snapping her instict to punch whatever it was that startled her into action. Her fist swung behind her but was caught by a bigger, more callouse hand than hers.

She blinked away her shock. "Shisui-niisan?" The Uchiha chuckled nervously, something she didn't think she would hear. He was confident and held himself high in the pedestal. "I didn't know you had it in you to hurt someone."

He was met with a blank face. "We live in a shinobi village. Aspiring ninja has to have the guts to hurt someone even if it's against their will sometimes." Takara arched an eyebrow at his exasperation.

"... are you really a child?"

"What do you think, Shisui-niisan?"

"... you're a twenty-year-old something guy." The blonde Haruno almost smiled at his statement. "You don't get flustered around naked guys or hot ones like me!" She rolled her eyes in fake annoyance. "Did you deliberately take me to the hot springs with you that time?"

The Uchiha froze at being caught, a mechanical chuckle leaving his lips. "Aha ha ha, I thought you already forgot about that?" She stared at him with an upturn of her lips. "I can't forget the sight of genins shrieking like school girls when they found out I was a girl, Nii-san."

Shisui ruffled her already messy hair, making it messier than it originally was. "Man, you're quite a riot for a child, aren't you?" Takara playfully smacked his hand away. Her hair was already hard to tame, she didn't need Shisui messing it up even more.

"Is that a rhetorical question?"

That was how their conversation started. Sometimes, Shisui would teach her things about being a ninja, things that could be used on the field. Sometimes, the Uchiha would make her do simple exercises when she failed to keep up with her basic training regime that he whipped up for her.

Takara was content with the way things were...

... but something bad was bound to happen.

...

 **Death..? Where are you?**

 **Death!**

 **You can't... You can't leave me!**

...

The blonde Haruno had been in a bad mood for a few days now. Sakura could barely get her sister to talk to her. Shikamaru nor Choji could snap her out of her foul mood. They didn't know what happened and they dreaded finding out what could have made her this way.

She rarely loses her cool, something Shikamaru greatly admired. The only time she did was when Ami had gone too far in bullying Sakura that Takara received detention after the blonde dealt with her sister's bully.

Still, seeing her frown and scowl on random times took them off guard. She would snap at nothing, glare at nothing and scowl at nothing. Haruno Takara rarely loses her cool but when she does, it takes more than her favorite food to calm her down.

 _Where is he?_ That was the only question that plagued her mind. Death had suddenly disappeared from that greyish abyss where they had kept seeing each other. He had disappeared without a trace.

His disappearance had greatly affected her. Death was the only one who knew of her situation. He was the only one who she could talk with about that matter. Besides, he had became a friend of hers... sort of.

Takara knew being friends with Death was something completely impossible. The blonde decided to head for the library while Sakura attended the kunoichi classes. Something that added to her foul mood was the fact Shisui had been missing.

Well, missing their usual talk, anyways.

She found it unusual, though, how Shisui treated her like an adult. She was but a mere seven-year-old girl who attends the Academy. There was nothing interesting about her. She was as normal as anyone could be.

" _Haruno Takara-chan_?"

She halted, eyes trailing the base of the tree at her side to the branches it has. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Dark clothing. They reminded her of Shisui. _Uchiha._.. her mind whispered.

He landed in front of her, never making a sound except from the rustling of his clothes. They were signs of being a shinobi, something Shisui drilled into her head. Anyone who could move as silent as that was trouble.

Takara found it odd how this person seemed years older than what he looked. _He looks stressed._.. she absent-mindedly noted. She took in his appearance. He looked so... exhausted. A look that he shouldn't have whatever age he was.

"Yes, Uchiha-san?" Her eyes caught the flutter of his clan's fan when he jumped down and landed in front of her. He exhibited an aura of someone older, someone who had experienced _and_ seen too much.

He couldn't have been any younger than Shisui.

She prepared to run, however futile it was, when the Uchiha reached something in his pouch. He held out a necklace, a charm with an uchiwa and an emerald gemstone attached to it. The emerald was shaped into a flower that impressed her.

Though, the uchiwa charm did seem normal, there was something odd about the other one.

She couldn't explain what it was and the sight of the gem made something knock on the back of her mind. There was something crucial she was missing, something important to her but couldn't find out what.

"Shisui wanted me to give you this."

She blinked. "Shisui-niisan did?" He gave a hum of confirmation and she hesitantly reached for the necklace. "Uchiha-san? Where _is_ Shisui-niisan?" That alarmed look of his startled her. So did the crestfallen look that marred his pretty face.

"He... He's not here anymore..."

Anyone could take and interpret his words in many ways. However, due to his expression alone, she knew what he meant... and it made her blood run cold. "I'm sorry, Haruno-chan. He wanted... He wanted to give you this but..."

 _He died._... went unsaid. "This... he told me... told me to tell you something as well... that to _never lose that part of yourself that makes you, you_ " The Uchiha reluctantly patted her on the head. "I must... I must head back now."

And he disappeared.

 _That..._ _How could Shisui-niisan..._ _Was it a coincidence?_ _Uchiha-san was specifically told to tell me this..._ _No, no, it was something... something only he and I know..._ _How could he... how could he have known?_...

 **Death! Death! Answer me! My brother... My brother was _right there_ and you _didn't tell me!_ Did you tell him not to tell me?! Death! _Answer me dammit!_**

 **"... his fate was to die."**

 **You could have told me!**

 **"It didn't matter. He was going to die again anyway."**

 **That... _That doesn't make sense!_ I could have— he and I could have done something!**

 **"He didn't tell you because he _knew_ he was going to die."**

 **I— I just wanted to... just wanted to...**

...

Takara was sick of everything.

Everything seemed so bright and cheerful against her mournful demeanor. It sickened her. How could everything be so... bright and cheery and happy and act as if no one had died? She barely attended class anymore.

Too angry to go. Too sad to realize that her... that her brother was truly gone. Days flashed by in her eyes too fast for her liking. She felt so weak and exhausted and sad and... and...

She was nothing.

 _She_ didn't want this. She didn't want to live again. She was so, so tired of living that she chose to die peacefully instead of using that favor she had from Death... but... but that _bastard_ did the opposite. He made her live again.

Thanks to that, she had to feel the _loss of losing her precious brother again._ If Death didn't... If he had just let her die in peace, she wouldn't be like _this._ She wouldn't feel like she was a moving corpse. Everything felt so, so wrong and it terrified her.

She thought that— She thought that she could live a life with no regrets. This... without having a chance to spend time with her brother ( _with the knowledge that it was him)_ made her doubtful. He had trained her, even for the briefest of time—

Suddenly, everything came crashing down on her.

Her death...

Her brother...

This world was filled with _kids learning how to kill._ _And she had been doing the same thing as those kids._

" _Hoo Hoo!_ "

Her eyelids felt heavy, the soft cotton silks of her bed seemed to swallow her in. " _Hoo Hoo!_ " She felt a tug on her head but she was far too focused on her scrambled thoughts. Sleep sounded tempting, actually.

And sleep she did.

...

 **" _EZRA!_ "**

 **oooOooo**

 **Author's Note**

 _So~ I have not much to say except for thanking you guys who favorited, followed and reviewed this fanfic!_

 _*gives virtual cookies*_

 _Come to the dark side~_


	3. Chapter 3

_"You know what I hate the most? Losers who think they're so much better than me." A fist_ _connected with his cheek but he found himself retaliating on instinct alone. His fingers curled in a fist and met with the flesh of his peer. Nothing could calm him down at this point. He hated the fact that no one bothered helping the bullied underclassman. He hated the fact that they simply stood on the side; watching, laughing, and filming the way his_ best friend _pummeled someone who's younger than them._

 _Rage-filled eyes stared him down. Ezra bared his unusually sharp fangs at the person who he thought he could trust the most besides his own brother. "What the actual fuck, Daemon? Losers who think they're better than you? What you hate the most? You fucking hate bullies. What the fuck is up with your stupid head?" Because this wasn't the Daemon who he grew up with. This wasn't the Daemon who smiled at him lopsidedly when he pranked someone._

 _This wasn't the Daemon who put various insects in his bed when they were younger to scare the hell out of Ezra. This wasn't the Daemon who he had come to know in the years they'd spent together. "What happened?" Ezra's voice came out forced as if he didn't want to ask that question. He didn't want to know the answer but he needed it to understand him; to understand what in the world happened to his best friend._

 _Ezra knew for a fact that his friend wouldn't do something like this without a reasonable reason. Daemon wasn't the kind of person to suddenly change out of the blue. It was just last night, Ezra remembered with clarity, how Daemon sent him a selfie of him with his face smeared with frosting, a cheeky smile painted his lips. In the background, his two little brothers seemed to have been running around, their hands filled with the same frosting that Daemon had on his face._

 _"Why should I tell you?" Came his best friend's retort. Anger bubbled in the pit of his stomach but Ezra tried to reign it in. It would do him no good to lose his composure without getting the answers he wanted. It was a great idea to go out and confront Daemon in the soccer field though.This way, no one was going to interrupt them and Ezra wouldn't have a hard time if his best friend tried to run away. "Don't butt in my fucking business."_

 _He let out an exasperated sigh as he watched Daemon stand back up with a grunt. "Not my fucking business? Bro! You hit an underclassman for no fucking reason at all! I'm your best friend who's getting worked up, wondering what the hell is going on and trying to understand why you did what you did!" Ezra took a deep breath, holding it in for a couple of seconds before exhaling. A sharp look came across his eyes, one that made Daemon flinch back._

 _"You know I'm a worrywart—"_ _"— not more than your brother—"_ _"— and I'm just worried about you. You were bullied during our elementary years. You fucking hate bullies. You despise them even. Seeing you like this... seeing you acting like the people you hate... it worries me. It honestly terrifies me. Bro... Daemon, what's going on? Did something happen? You know you can trust me, right? I told you before and I'll tell it to you again; you're like a brother to me, you're family. I want to help... please."_

 _The anger he had suddenly died down like the embers of flames flickering out of existence due to lack of oxygen._ This is better, _he thought._ I can think more like this. _"I..." Daemon's voice snapped him back to reality. There was hesitance in his voice, unsure and dubious. "... family stuff. Divorce. Separation. I don't know what to do this is driving me mad—" he stopped for a moment to catch his breath. "Mom's taking my brothers with her while Dad takes me."_

 _There was a reason why they were best friends. One absolutely good reason and that was their love for their brothers._

 _And honestly? Ezra was terrified of how much he loves his brother because he thought of things that he shouldn't have but it still felt so right. But Daemon? His love for his brothers was nothing like Ezra's. Daemon thought of how he could help them, how he could guide them. His best friend was nothing like him, Ezra knew. Because despite the same amount of love they have for their siblings, Daemon was still kind. He was the best role model there was._

 _And Ezra? He would keep it to himself, those thoughts that wander his mind, and simply protect his blood brother and surrogate brother to the best of his abilities. He didn't care if he had to fight, if he had to dirty his hands. That was the point of picking fights. On the other hand, he also loved helping others so he picked fights with bullies. It was killing two birds with one stone._ Ah, _he mused_. I'm getting off track.

 _The point was that Daemon hurting others conflicted him. He was Ezra's surrogate brother, Ezra loves him. That punch he gave Daemon hurt him more than it hurt his best friend. It made his feelings a mess._ _"There's nothing we can do." Ezra stated with a tone of finality. This situation was one out of their hold; one they couldn't mess with. "But you can visit them, right?"_

 _"That's the sad part. Mom's going back to her home country and my brothers aren't allowed to possess any kind of gadgets, they can't be trusted with anything, because it would end up with the house on fire." Ezra didn't bother inquiring about that last part because he could only grimace at what Daemon said. There wasn't going to be any form of contact between him and his brothers._

 _" **Wake up.** "_

 _He blinked. "Did you hear that?" The sudden change of atmosphere startled him. Daemon threw him a look of confusion. "Hear what?" A moment of silence and he heard nothing. "Blah, it must be my imagination. Anyway—"_

 _" **Wake up!** "_

 _This time it was louder and it rang in his ears. He covered them, in an attempt to muffle the sound. However, it failed because it just kept echoing inside, making his eardrums shake and tremble. "!!!" He could see Daemon's lips moving, a pair of arms wrapping around his shoulders when he felt his knees go weak. The sound drove him insane. It just went on and on and on and it. Was. Maddening._

 _" **EZRA, WAKE UP!** "_

 **What the..?**

 **" _For Thanato's sake, you're finally out of there."_**

 **Out of what?**

 **" _You were going to get lost in your memories, moron. Once you're trapped, there was no going back."_**

 **... I don't... I don't get it...**

...

It was safe to say that the moment she woke up, Haruno Takara was buried under a dog pile of her family. "Kara!" A displeasured groan left her lips. "C-Can't breathe—!" It was her mother who got off first, then her father who gave her a sheepish smile. Sakura refused to let go of her no matter what their parents said. "Kura—"

"— no! You scared me! You wouldn't wake up no matter what I did and... and you stopped _breathing_ and I was so scared I didn't know what to do I—" Takara's heart ached at the sight of her sister's tears. Her face was a mess. Kura's eyes were puffy and swollen and red. She kept sniffing back her snot _(Takara made a disgusted face at this)_ but all in all, the fear that painted her face was clear.

(.. _. family stuff. Divorce. Separation. I don't know what to do this is driving me mad—" he stopped for a moment to catch his breath. "Mom's taking my brothers with her while Dad takes me_.")

A hand reached out to caress Kura's tear-stained cheek, her thumb wiping away the tears her precious sister shed for her. "I'm sorry, Kura. I didn't mean to scare you." But in all honesty, she still wasn't sure. Haruno Takara refused to acknowledge the fact that she was reborn against her will. She had been in denial but it all came crashing down. She didn't want _any of these_.

A life ( _could it even be called a life?_ ) of eternal peace and comfort awaited her back then when she died. She was finally going to rid herself of the sins and dirt she accumulated from Before and ascend to where she could relax for all eternity. But _no—_ Death had other plans for her. Death found her amusing. Death _Deat_ _h_ Death _Deat_ _h_ — **Death!**

 _That stupid pretty-faced bastard—! He only showed up when I was in distress!_ Takara was proud that her face remained calm and apologetic on the outside despite the raging bull wrecking havoc inside of her.

 _¡Whack!_

The sound and stinging of her cheek brought her back to reality. ( _In the background, Mebuchi and Kizashi gaped at the sight._ ) It left Takara wide-eyed. Did Kura just— _Did Kura just punch her?!_ It didn't hurt as much as Takara expected but it still caught her by surprise. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid Kara!" Silence and the pinkette's sobs filled the room and it left Takara feeling a little bit awkward.

She just got punched... by her twin sister no less.

"Um... sorry again?"

( _It was no surprise Takara didn't know what to do. Sakura had never acted like this towards her before._ )

Takara watched as their mother picked up her crying sister, leaving the room but not without giving her a little smile. She turned her head to her father. He had his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes surrounded by miniscule crinkles when they narrowed down at her with a displeasing look. "Takara... what happened?" And for once, the blonde wanted to curl in like the child she was and hide away from her father's sight.

(" _What happened?" Ezra's voice came out forced as if he didn't want to ask that question_.)

Her eyes were fixed on the white bedsheets of the hospital room she was in. "I..." She started out with an uncertain tone. "... I'm not sure. I just... went to sleep last night—"

"— last week—"

"— and... wait, what?" She jolted in surprise, her eyes glued on her fathers face, his features softening at her confused and disgruntled expression. "You've been asleep for a week, Takara."

... that was a long time...

...

 **"You had me worried—"**

 **— I didn't know what happened—!**

 **"— your soul almost left your body!"**

 **Wait, what?**

 **"Your refusal to live; that sudden urge to deny the fact that you lived for the second time made your body well-nigh reject your soul out!"**

 **I DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO LIVE AGAIN!**

...

The next day, Sakura found her sister in a foul mood.

Sure, the pinkette was still a little upset with the blonde but her mother explained that the situation was unavoidable. That what happened couldn't have been stopped. It still didn't make Sakura happy though. She thought her sister was... was... She would rather not finish that thought. Their mother was outside and it was only her and Kara inside.

The moment she stepped inside the room, she found her blonde twin wearing that same expression she had a couple of days ago. That furrow of her brows, the downward curve of her lips, the way her eyes narrowed; it was the same displeased and frustrated expression she had when she wasn't acting like herself that one time.

"... Kara?"

She watched her blonde twin blink several times before looking towards her. It was that same loving and doting expression she always wore on her face when she looks at Sakura. The pinkette hesitated a little but with a little nod from Kara, she approached the hospital bed the blonde laid in. "How was school?" Was the first thing she asked her.

"Shikamaru and Choji are worried about you and Iruka-sensei didn't really give out that much homework last week." Remembering last week, both boys had bombarded ( _more Choji than Shikamaru anyway_ ) her with questions about what happened. Alas, Sakura didn't really know. They just found Kara in that state when an owl— "An owl." She muttered under her breath, confusion written all over face.

Why was there an owl inside Kara's room that time?

"What did you say, Kura?"

"An owl... an owl came flying out of your room to get mama and papa."

...

 **Death... answer me.**

 **Answer me, dammit! It was you!**

 **Where the fuck were you before that, huh?! You— You pretty-faced bastard!**

 **"... that's... not actually an insult, you know?"**

 **Ugh— that's besides the point! Just answer me!**

 **"... I can't say..."**

 **And why not?!**

 **"I just can't!"**

...

That confrontation made her think. It was the first time she saw that look on his face. It was a mixture of desperation and... fear. _Huh_ , she absent-mindedly thought. _Isn't that kind of... ironic?_ Death being afraid was something she didn't really expect. In the first place, what terrified even Death? She pondered on this for a while as she went through her daily routine.

She had been discharged from the hospital just yesterday, saying that she was good to go, and the moment she got home, she pulled Kura on her bed and cuddled with her. Sure, she had been asleep for the past week but the bed at the hospital sure as hell wasn't as comfortable as the bed she owned at home.

At the moment, she was brushing her long, golden locks and she wondered why she had the same shade of hair as Death. _Probably because he's a narcissistic bastard._ He didn't answer any of her question and that left her in a foul mood. "Kara? Are you ready?" She saw her precious sister peek at her door from the mirror. With a sigh, she placed her brush down and picked up her sling bag.

"Yeah, I'm ready, Kura."

There was something about walking in the mornings with just her sister every day. The smell of freshly-baked bread wafted in the air, the scent of flowers that decorated the homes of the villagers followed after. It was refreshing and soothing. Calming and relaxing. The hand in Takara's hold was small like her own but softer and more delicate than the one she has. And why such a difference? The blonde twin kept doing her routine from Before.

In the beginning, it was only light exercises but it gradually became harder and more intense as she got used to every regime she set for herself. It was probably the reason why her own hand was a little callouse and rough, opposite of Kura's.

Then again, why was she doing all these? Her eyes trailed to the girl beside her, the twin sister who smiled at her with an innocent grin, the twin sister who clung to her at night when she has a nightmare, to the twin sister who gave her so much love and affection. But Takara didn't want to live. She didn't want to walk through the world of the living. She just didn't want to hurt again.

 **"Ezra, I'm sorry..."**

 **"Please talk to me."**

 **"... please..."**

He stared her down with an unusual stern look on his face.

"... what were you doing?" It was a rhetorical question because what she had done was incredibly stupid. What she had done was absolutely moronic. Shikamaru glared down at her. What was she trying to do...?! He didn't know what goes on through her head, what she was going through but that doesn't answer why _she tried to take her own life!_

"Takara," he had said with a tone of finality, a tone that said he wasn't going to stop until he got some answer out of her.

"... I don't want to talk about it."

"Takara..."

"... it's fine. I won't do it again."

" _Takara!_ "

Anyone who knew him would be surprised to hear him raise his voice. They would wonder how a seven-year-old could look so intimidating. "It's _not_ fine. Won't do it again? I don't believe you." Her expression alone told volumes of her lies. Shikamaru hated the fact that Takara won't just open up to anyone.

He had noticed the first few days she had been back in the Academy after being discharged from the hospital. Something... changed about her. The air around her, the way she carried herself, the look in her eyes; they were subtle changes but changes nonetheless, undesirable ones much so. In the eyes of others, Takara looked perfectly fine and bored like she usually did. _She wasn't._

The blonde even managed to fool her own sister but Sakura seemed to notice something out of place; however, she never actively pointed it out. That, alone, worried him. Shikamaru knew the Haruno twins were inseparable and they didn't hide things from each other. To see Takara hiding something and Sakura worrying about it, Shikamaru ( _for once_ ) decided to do something about it.

It left him bewildered when Takara separated from the pinkette at the Academy entrance after school. It left him puzzled when she walked in the opposite direction. It left him feeling dread when he noticed a rather alarming glint in her eyes as she stalked away. He didn't hesitate and followed her without being noticed as best as he could. He found himself hiding in the bushes in one of the many training grounds in the village.

He thought it was for extra practice; Takara told him about it. She would sometimes be in the training grounds for practice but she was always and he meant always had Sakura with her. When she pulled out a ninja wire from her pocket and saw that look in her eyes as she glanced at one of the sturdiest branches, _he lashed out._

He knew that look, had seen them in the eyes in some of his clan members after a particularly... gruesome mission according to his dad.

Now, as he looked down at her with one of his most stern gazes, he waited for her to speak up. To explain why that even crossed her mind. "Takara..."

She never said and he never pried into it ever again. However he made sure to keep a close eye on her, made sure that she wasn't alone. Takara was his precious friend, one that understood him the most. She was one of those who knew what goes through his head and he didn't need to speak up what he wants to say. She always knew and always did something about it. Haruno Takara... _troublesome... she's gonna be the death of me someday._..

 **I'm sorry...**

 **"Hey, hey..."**

 **... I'm... so sorry...**

 **"I know."**

 **... give me some tissue, dammit!**

 **"Pfft— alright, alright, no need to get angry while you're crying."**

At the age of ten, Naruto found a friend... well, more like an acquaintance but that's besides the point. He could remember it oh-so clearly...

It was a day filled with... misery... and hunger, mostly.

It was his birthday... and the villagers glared at him with a lot more... hate than usual. No, they didn't physically hurt him on this day. It was their eyes. _Their gaze._ To him, that seemed a lot more unnerving. A lot more... terrifying. Oh, he could handle the whispers, the words, the pushes, the insults... but something about their gaze just... felt wrong. Horrifying. It felt... like he was slowly being devoured.

To him, feeling that way was worse than being hit.

And then, _she_ happened.

He sat in the swing set at the park, his head hung low. One hand clenched his white shirt as he tried to keep his stomach from growling. He was so, so hungry. He forgot to stack up on instant ramen last week and he ran out this morning. "Stupid, stupid..." He pouted and mumbled under his breath. A frown graced his lips when his stomach growled. "I'm so hungry, 'ttebayo."

"Here."

Naruto blinked in surprise when an onigiri appeared in his line of sight. A hand filled with bandages held the onigiri and this made him glanced at the owner. It was a girl whose hair was brighter than even his own, almost golden in his eyes, and eyes so pretty he couldn't help but just stare. "You gonna take it or not?" This snapped him out of his stupor. Her voice was impatient but he didn't... he didn't feel ashamed... afraid... for some reason, she didn't make him feel bad.

Hesitantly, he reached out, his own hands filled with cuts and dirt. The onigiri was pulled away and his heart sunken. _I knew it..._ it was too good to be true. Too good for someone to give him food for it to be real. _I hate this, 'bayo._ "Are you stupid?" He flinched and trembled as if a cold bucket of ice water was poured on him. _What did... What did I do so wrong—?!_ "Wash your hands, stupid," he blinked, the tears receeding back. _W-What?_ "Your hands." He looked up and saw her looking at his hands with disgust.

"Dude, how can you eat if your hands are dirty? That's just unhygienic." _She wasn't... She wasn't making fun of me?_ Naruto startled when she grabbed his wrist and dragged him to who knows where. He couldn't find his voice so he silently followed after her. Soon, they reached a fountain. "Wash your hands and then you can eat." He didn't know when, he didn't know how but he found himself washing his hands and taking a bite out of the onigiri.

It was _..._ It was _warm_.

Tears streamed down his face, snot blocking his nostrils, and eating his onigiri. It was _war_ _m_ and _delicious_. Naruto hadn't eaten something so good aside from Ichiraku's Ramen but this... this just made him so warm and homey and he felt _like he actually worth something_. "It's okay to cry out for help, you know?" He heard but didn't say anything. He knew she knew that he did. "I know not everyone's going to come to your aid... not everyone's kind and you might have known that years ago."

There was a bitter tone in her voice and this made Naruto look at her a bit. He hadn't heard her with such a tone before. She had always seemed so indifferent about everything. She was the cool kid in his eyes, someome who had everything they wanted like Sasuke but it wasn't like that. He realized it now. "You can come to me... or my sister... or even my friends, Uzumaki Naruto." He blinked in surprise, the tears had stopped some moments ago.

When he looked at her, it was... it felt so right. "You can count on us."

They weren't friends. Simply acquaintances at the moment but he wouldn't have it any other way.

Haruno Takara seemed like a weird person but that night, Naruto met her. The real her and not the mask she put on during the day.

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 _It's been a while! Sorry, I've been on Wattpad a lot recently! But I missed it here so here's another chapter of No Regrets!_

 _For some reason, I really like writing about Takara and the name, gosh, I like how it sounds._

 _What about you guys? Are you all doing great?_


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